


Surrogate

by madameseahorse



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Anal Fingering, Blood, F/M, Flashback, Future Mpreg, Kink Exploration, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Maybe - Freeform, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Multi, Past Mpreg, Polyamory, Surrogacy, Threesome - F/M/M, Xenobiology, asexual Keith, kind of, tentadick, we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-26 06:00:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madameseahorse/pseuds/madameseahorse
Summary: Lance learns about the differences between human and Altean biology from Coran. Probably should have researched that before he started dating Allura.





	1. Chapter 1

"Lance, I know you like Allura. You've liked her since she fell into your arms."

"Yeah, and she insulted my ears," he muttered. Then he realized-

"You never saw me catch her! You were still asleep!" he protested.

Coran rolled his eyes.

"Regardless, I know you like her. I believe she also likes you, judging by that bite on your neck. That is, assuming marking potentials mates is still the in thing to do."

Lance turned as red as his current lion. He could have sworn that his collar covered the hickey Allura gave him. They had been kissing last night and it had gotten a bit...more heated than usual. Literally. Her skin felt almost feverish to the touch. He thought she might be ill.

"I assume you two have been intimate with each other?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that." Allura wasn't ready to tell anyone about their relationship. She made it very clear that Coran couldn't know. Lance understood her feelings. He vowed that he would not tell anyone before she was ready. No matter how much Coran questioned him, he would not yield.

Allura was a formidable force when she was angry.

"I know you may not feel comfortable talking to me about your intimate affairs. I just want to make sure Allura has informed you of Altean reproduction habits. They might be different from your own."

"I doubt that." Allura had breasts and a vagina. Oh, and a nice butt. The only things different were her pointed ears and markings, which were not just on her face.

"What if a pregnancy occurs? Will you be prepared to handle that?"

"Allura says that Alteans only had babies with other Alteans. Well, there's Lotor, but his mom is a mad scientist."

Coran considered it.

"i suppose that would make sense. She did like her experiments. Maybe that's how she managed to have a child with a Galra alpha. It's not like I could see Zarkon carrying an Altean child to term, right?" He nudged Lance with his elbow and laughed. Lance joined in for a moment.

"Wait. Why would Zarkon have had Lotor? He's a guy."

"And an alpha."

"Right. So he didn't have a uterus."

He tilted his head in confusion.

"A what? That's the organ Number Five complains about periodically. Sometimes once a month. Hunk reluctantly explained the purpose of that organ. Turned bright red, just like you did. What was it for?" He stroked his mustache as he tried to remember.

"It's the organ a baby grows in!" Lance said so quickly that Coran almost didn't understand.

"Of course! It's also called a womb in some species. We have something similar, but it's called a pouch," he explained.  
"Fine. I won't put a baby in Allura's pouch unless we're married. Can this conversation be over now?" he pleaded.

"But Allura doesn't have a pouch," he said slowly.

"Oh." That sucked. They could never have children? What happened to her? Maybe that's why she said that they weren't compatible, biologically speaking.

"Of course, i don't either, but that's a long story."

Lance chuckled despite himself. Then he noticed that Coran looked sad for some reason.

"Is that a bad thing?"

He shrugged.

"I used to miss it, but everything worked out for the best." He adjusted his sleeves to distract himself. Seeing Allura dating and possibly mating with someone made him think of the past.

Lance frowned.

"So, Altean men have pouches they carry babies in?" The image of Earth women with those baby slings came to mind, but that were only handy once the baby was born.

"Are you sure we're talking about organs? You've kinda lost me with the pouch talk."

Coran sighed and lifted up his shirt. He was still pretty toned for an old man, Lance noticed.

Don't make it gay, Lancey, he told himself as Coran rambled about where a pouch was located. Somewhere below the stomach and between a couple organs Lance was pretty sure Coran was making up.

"Wait. What's that scar?"

The advisor hurriedly pulled down his shirt.

"Well, I've got to go clean the cryopods. I'll see you at lunch," he said hastily before rushing off. Lance just stood there, next to the cryopod he was currently cleaning.

"What the cheese?"


	2. Chapter 2

Coran's talk with him this morning really confused Lance. There were obviously differences between himself and Allura, but he went into their relationship with that knowledge. He seemed to be hiding something and it made Lance nervous. Why would the old mechanic start a serious conversation with him and then run off? Maybe it had to do with scar on his abdomen.

Contrary to what he said when he practically fled the bridge that morning, Coran was not at lunch that afternoon. It was only Hunk and Lotor. The new emperor was visiting for whatever reason.

"Lance, have you seen Pidge?"

"I think she's in her lab?"

Hunk sighed.

"Ugh! And she missed breakfast. That girl is going to work herself to death," he grumbled as he stood up and picked up her plate to take to her. That left Lance alone with Lotor.

"You're welcome to sit down. I don't bite, although you may not mind if I did." He gestured to Lance's neck.

"I don't need you to harass me. I got enough from Coran this morning."

"Did...he mark you? That hardly seems appropriate for a man to go after his daughter's mate. Speaking of Allura, where is she?"

"She must not be feeling well. And Coran isn't her father. Alfor was. And, no. Coran didn't bite me."

Lotor frowned and tilted his head.

"He isn't her other parent?" he asked slowly.

"Nope."

"Hmm. I could have sworn he acted like a parent to her."

"Of course. He and her father were very close after her mom died. I guess he's kind of like a stepdad?" Allura mentioned once how she caught the two of them kissing on more than one occasion when she was younger. It didn't surprise him.

"So she did have a mother. Right! I forget how Altean biology differs from Galran. Alteans aren't supposed to have secondary genders."

"Do you?"

Lotor nearly choked on his space version of scrambled eggs.

"That is not something that is typically discussed at meals," he sputtered.

"Neither is biting and marking or whatever, but you brought those things up as well! Why does everyone keep bringing up Altean biology if they don't want to talk about it?" He knew he shouldn't be yelling at Lotor like this. He was probably still upset with Coran and worried about Allura skipping breakfast and lunch. He was also really annoyed with Lotor right now. The emperor had a crush on his girlfriend and was a threat.

"Hunk'll be back soon." He knew he shouldn't leave a guest by themselves, especially if they were an important ally trying to rebuild an evil empire.

Leaving the room was better than socking said ally in the face.

"We can talk about it."

Lance whipped around to make a remark, but stopped. Lotor looked sad.

"I would have killed for someone to tell me about my body in a kind, non-shaming way. I always knew I was half Altean. Everyone knew I was half Altean, yet they expected me to take after my father."

"Because he was an...alpha?"

"That's one of the nicer things my father was called. I'm surprised you knew that. Although, who wouldn't expect the infamous Zarkon to be an alpha?" he chuckled bitterly.

"Coran made a comment that he was an alpha. I don't know what it means, though. It means that they can't have babies or something? Of course, he said something about Altean women not having babies."

"They don't. Well, they didn't. My mother was the only known Altean woman to carry a child."

"Then where do Altean babies come from? What, do their fathers get pregnant?" he half-joked.

His laughter died down when he saw Lotor nodding.

"Wait. What? Are Alteans like seahorses?" That would explain why Allura didn't have this so-called pouch. Come to think of it, male seashorses had a pouch, too.

Wow. Way to go, Lance, he chided himself internally.

"Why could Ha-Honerva have you then?" he asked him, hoping he didn't catch his slip up.

"My mother spent far too long around quintessence from another reality. It must have mutated her. Having me killed her."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Allura had pretty much convinced him that Haggar must be Lotor's mother. Lance didn't know what would be worse: thinking that you killed your mother or that your mother was alive and evil.

Obviously, for Lotor, he preferred to believe that his mom was dead.

"It's alright. It was over ten thousand years ago."

"Altean men have babies, then. They could get pregnant? Give birth and all?"

Lotor nodded.

"Yes, they could, they did, and, before you ask, that includes me."

"I wasn't-"

"Sure." He rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head around all of this. And you did say that you took after your mother."

"That I did, paladin. You're smarter than they give you credit for," he laughed.

"Does that mean that Alfor gave birth to Allura?"

"He did not."

Lance turned to see Coran standing in the doorway of the dining room. He was holding a box under his arm and looked like he was ready to jump into a tank full of sharks.

"Huh?" the red paladin and Galra emperor asked in unison.

"Alfor did not give birth to Allura." He took a deep breath.

"I did."


	3. Chapter 3

They stared blankly at him for a moment. Then Lotor clapped his hand on the table and pointed at Lance.

"I told you he was her other parent."

"I am not her other parent. Alteans don't have secondary genders like the Galra." Of course, he didn't know if that apply to an Altean-Galra hybrid such as Lotor. He might be the leader of the Galra Empire, but his Altean blood ran strong.

"Alright."

His communicator buzzed.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I must be off." Lotor stood up and headed towards the door. Coran placed his hand on the emperor's shoulder.

"And I trust you will keep this between us gentlemen. It's hardly appropriate to talk about such things with any ladies."

Coran was all smiles, but Lance was reminded of some characters in Pidge's animes. What was the term, yandere?

Whatever vibe he sensed, Lotor seemed to sense it as well and nodded quickly before leaving.

"You understand that what we discuss here today is between us. Right, m'boy?"

"Sure."

"You mustn't tell anyone. Even Allura. Especially Allura. Alfor forbid me to tell her."

"That you...gave birth to her?"

Coran set the box down on the table. It was made of dark brown wood and roughly the size of a large shoe box. More like a shoe box that knee high boots came in. Curious, Lance ran his hand along the edge. Despite its weathered appearance, it was smooth to the touch.

There was a silver lock that Coran put his thumb to. A blue light blinked on and the box opened with a click.

There were three mason jar-sized containers that looked like smaller versions of the jar that they had used to gather Sendak's memories. They were wrapped in a soft cloth with Altean letters and what looked like four tiny pink buds and one larger blossomed flower that was the same color as the markings under Coran's eyes. Upon further inspection, Lance realized that it was a receiving blanket. 

His mother had a hope chest back on Earth. It also contained the blankets that the McClain children came home in from the hospital. She kept other things in there: His siblings' christening gowns, hair from their first haircuts, and ultrasound photos of before they were born. She also had his grandmother's wedding dress, veil, and other keepsakes that Lance and his siblings were told to be careful with. Should he be looking at all this stuff?

"I wouldn't have gotten these things out to show you if I wasn't comfortable with you looking at them. You need not be so hesitant."

Curiousity got the better of him and he pulled out a framed photo. It was laying with the picture facing down. Carefully, he turned it over.

It was of Coran and Alfor. The former was propped against some pillows and about half asleep. His hair was in a ponytail and his arm was draped over his rounded stomach. Alfor knelt beside the bed, his hand pressed against his advisor's swollen belly as he pressed a kiss to the exposed skin. "Is that really you?" Kind of dumb question, but he had to start somewhere. He nodded. "Yessir, that's me." He pointed to himself. "That's Alfor." He pointed to Alfor. "And that," he trailed his finger down the short distant from the king's face to his stomach and smiled, "is Allura."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, season six was a roller coaster and I now have to rethink several things about this fic. Comments are always welcome. Sorry it took so long to update. My hand has been acting up and it is hard to type sometimes.
> 
> Also, the picture in the frame is based off a commission my friend did for me. I will add a link once I get permission to repost it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coran finally starts telling the story of why he was Alfor's surrogate.  
> WARNING: This chapter has mentions of miscarriages and has the aftermath of a miscarriage. If you have read The Help, it's like the scene with Octavia Spencer's and Jessica Chastain's characters, although I tried to be vague. I hate to write a scene that may bother people, but it is needed to show why Alfor couldn't have kids and why Coran needed to be surrogate.

Lance looked at the picture, confusion evident on his face. For once, he was completely quiet. For a moment, Coran wasn't sure if he should have gotten his box out. Alfor made him promise to never tell Allura that Coran had been their surrogate.

 

He asked him a total of three times to take the secret to his grave. It had actually been Coran's idea, and it was not the first time he was asked to keep a secret for his king.

***

Not long after the comet hit Daibazaal, Alfor began experimenting with its ore and building the lions. It was hard work, even for a talented alchemist such as himself. At one

point, he took a break to try for a child. As his advisor and frequent assistant in the lab, Coran always knew when his heat was near. It helped that they grew up together and

their cycles had basically syncronized. He knew the Queen and Alfor wanted to get pregnant. So when Alfor would excuse himself from the lab and told him to take it easy,

 

Coran knew what was going on. It was cute, really. He didn't even care that the man he loved and who occassionally messed around with wanted a baby with someone else.

 

"Coran, you look tired. You should get some rest," he said one day as they were working at adjacent desks.

 

"Nah, I'm alright. Besides we've barely gotten started."

 

Alfor bit his lip and nodded.

 

Coran didn't think much of it at first. They worked for half a varga before either of them said anything.

 

"Just take a break, my friend. You need it."

 

He frowned.

 

"I'm fine, your majesty. Do _you_ need a break? You know me. I'm all for bathroom breaks."

 

His cheeks colored, answering the question. He sighed and came over to Coran's desk.

 

"I'm in heat," he whispered, his breath tickling the tip of his assistant's ear.

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes, really. Why would I tell you that if I wasn't?" he huffed.

 

True. Alfor was very sensative to Coran when talking about the Queen. He never wanted him to feel like he loved him any less than his wife. That's part of why he gave Coran

the day off when he shared his heats with her. That was why Coran would play along and thank him for noticing that he was "tired." It was part of their routine, a way for Alfor

to save face.

 

"S-Sorry. Go ahead." He didn't mean to make him upset. He was just confused because his heat wasn't for another two phoebs. What made their cycles fall out of sync?

 

***

 

"Why did they? Is that common? I know humans can skip periods if they are stressed."

 

"Very observant, Lance. Alteans will sometimes skip heats if the environment is not ideal for

conception and child bearing. I'm not sure what caused Alfor to have trouble getting pregnant. Although it might have been exposure to the quintessence he was working with

when building the Lions. If Honerva was able to give birth to Lotor, surely something about the quintessence could have affect Alfor to where he couldn't stay pregnant."

 

"Wait a second." He held up his hands. "That time you said that Allura's dad couldn't stay pregnant."

 

Coran nodded, his gloved fingers ghosting over one of the pink flowers on the receiving blanket. It was the same color as Allura's armor. The color Alteans associated with

death. Why would an Altean baby blanket have tiny, unopened buds in pin-

 

Oh.

 

"He lost a baby."

 

"For whatever reason, his body could not carry them past the first part of a

typical Altean pregnancy. They tried changing their diets. Taking hormones. Nothing worked. The miscarriage before Allura almost destroyed him. He hadn't even told the

Queen about it."

 

"Why not?" Lance did not know much about his girlfriend's mother. If she was half as kind as Allura, she would have wanted to be by her husband's side.

 

"He felt defective. Broken. Not a complete man. He also wanted to surprise her and make sure that it was viable this time."

 

This time. If that was with a baby that would have been Allura's older sibling-

 

"He miscarried more than once."

 

Coran smiled sadly and looked pointedly at the flowers. Four of them were pink.

 

"Quiznak, he lost four babies?"

 

"Embryos, really. That's what I convinced him to believe. I know that they would have been babies."

 

"Well, yeah! Didn't peg you for a pro-choice guy," he grumbled.

 

"I know it's controversial for humans about when life begins. Number Five told me. It was similiar with Alteans. I told Alfor that they were embryos because they were at that stage in their development when they were lost." He was starting to sound really flustered.

 

"I'm sorry. My family's pretty religious. I don't mean to be judgemental."

 

"No, don't apologize. As much as I hated telling them that they weren't babies, I hated the thought of Alfor thinking that he had killed them somehow even more." An image of

Alfor on the bathroom floor, half naked and covered in blood popped into his head.

 

***

 

"Quiznak! I'll call the healer!"

 

"It's alright. I'll clean it up. I did last time. Did you say that I had a meeting?" he asked.

 

Coran felt a stab of guilt. Doboshes ago, he had been pounding on the door. The Queen sent him to find Alfor since he was missing a diplomatic dinner. She thought he was

suffering from preheat cramps.

 

"Does she know?"

 

"No. I was waiting to surprise her when it was viable. But I guess that telling her that I can't have babies is just as good. Surprise!" he said softly with a delirious giggle.

 

"You can always try again. One miscarriage doesn't negate your ability to have children." Ancients, there was a lot of blood. Coran got a towel and tried to staunch the bleeding.

 

"This is the fourth one. I don't know if I can try again." He shrugged.

 

"Alfor, I need you to hold this towel between your legs. I can't have you dying on me." He went to call a healer on the com.

 

"Guess I'll never be a father," Alfor mumbled. Coran hurried over to him to apply pressure to the towel.

 

"Of course you will. I promise you will. If I have to carry the baby myself, I will."

 

"You promise?"

 

"Of course you will."

 

"But you'll have my baby?" "I'll do whatever I need to." Alfor kissed him on the lips.

 

"Thank you," he whispered, stroking his face. Coran smiled weakly.

 

"Anytime."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will cover happier topics. Or the mechanics of Altean biology as I imagine them. Also, I imagine Lance as being raised Catholic. He doesn't agree with everything. Obviously not following the sex before marriage rule, tho. But when you're in space with a beautiful Altean woman, the last known Altean woman, how could you not want to be with her?


	5. Chapter 5

Coran shook his head, trying to get the image out of his head. There were things he would never forget. Alfor nearly bleeding to death after the miscarriage was one of them.

 

"But he was okay, right? I mean, obviously, he must have been."

 

"His body recovered after a transfusion. However, the healers told him that it wasn't safe to keep trying for a baby."

*****

"How's he doing?" he asked the Queen guietly.

 

"He'll live. I don't know what we would have done had you not found him." She hugged him tightly.

 

"Well, you were the one who told me to find him." He patted her back awkwardly.

 

"I didn't even know. I'm his wife and I thought he was just having bad cramps. Not a miscarriage."

 

"He didn't tell me either." And I'm his extramartial partner. Surely, he should have told one of us.

 

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Coran. I told him we could adopt, but then there might be people in the future who oppose a person of non-royal blood inheriting the throne."

 

"There's always hormone therapy. Maybe he's inbalanced."

 

"We've tried that. We've tried everything. Even implanting an embryo. It took phoebs to get those embryos. They had to harvest some of my eggs during my heat cycle, which was difficult."

 

He nodded. Deca-phoebs ago, the Queen had to have one of her ovaries removed due to cancer.

 

"In the end, only three of the eggs they harvested were considered healthy enough to be fertilized. They implanted two the pregnancy before the m-miscarriage yesterday."

 

"He lost twins last night?" Coran croaked.

 

She shook her head.

 

"No, that was about a deca-phoeb ago. This one, we conceived on our own. Maybe that's why he thought it would make it this time."

 

"And they can't find a reason as to why this keeps happening?"

 

"Not a single one. This was our last shot. They can't harvest anymore eggs because the treatment to prevent my cancer from coming back is frying what's left of my eggs. It's incredible that I got him pregnant." She started to cry.

 

"But you said that they implanted two embryos. What happened to the third?"

 

She blinked and tilted her head in confusion. Honestly, she must be exhausted. He doubted that she had slept a wink last night while at her husband's bedside.

 

"Your highness, three minus two is one. That means that there should be one more embryo." He hoped that he didn't sound rude. He hadn't slept much last night either. Plus, his cycle started soon and that made him cranky.

 

"Right, and it will die if they implant it in Alfor."

 

Coran threw his hands up in the air.

 

"Fine! Just keep it as an embryo!" He turned to leave.

 

"Wait!" She ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder.

 

"It doesn't have to be implanted in Alfor."

 

"Pardon?"

 

"Yeah, Honerva had a theory! Since it has already been conceived, it could be implanted into anyone's pouch!"

 

"She told you that? I'm surprised that she has anytime to make any theories that aren't related to the Rift."

 

"I think she came up with it because she's in love with Zarkon."

 

Of course. An Altean woman with a Galra alpha? The two of them didn't have a pouch or womb between them. If they wanted babies someday, they'd have to grow in some sort of organ.

 

"Theories are all well and good. Honerva is a brilliant alchemist, but her theory is just that: a theory. Besides, who would carry the child?"

 

"You said you would."

 

They jumped. Alfor was sitting up in his hospital bed. The color was back in his face, thanks to the blood transfusion.

 

"Darling, I'm sorry! Did we wake you?"

 

"It's alright. I read Honerva's paper on implanting embryos into non-related hosts."

 

"Paper? She scribbled it on a cloth napkin at a party." She wrote it on the part that didn't have food smeared on it.

 

"Alright. I read her cloth about implanting embryos into non-related hosts. It seemed like a valid hypothesis. We will need to clarify some points with her. Her handwriting wasn't as neat as it usually is."

 

"Because she was drunk at the time!"

 

"Maybe a little tipsy," Alfor agreed, "but a tipsy Honerva is still smarter than a lot of sober people. So you will do it? Will you carry our child?"

 

The Queen turned to Coran, hands clasped excitedly.

 

"Oh, will you? Please?" she pleaded.

 

*****

 

"And to think that they would trust me to carry their last chance at a child! I mean, I was in good health. Still am for the most part."

 

"Was the last embryo really their last chance? Did the Queen have anymore eggs? Did they only implant one into you? And it took?"

 

"Yes. I believe that she didn't. Yes, and I hope so. It grew into the woman that bit you last night."


	6. Chapter 6

“Can we let the biting thing go?”

"Sorry, Lance," Coran chuckled.

"And should we go check on Allura? She was really hot last night. Kind of feverish, yet-" He paused. He was going to say that she still wanted to kiss him. They did have sex last night, but he couldn't tell Coran that without breaking Allura's don't tell Coran rule. Plus, he didn't really want to talk to his girlfriend's step dad slash birth parent about his sex life.

Then again, he was telling him about being Alfor's significant other while Allura's mom was still alive. That wasn't exactly kosher.

"She still wanted to bite me and stuff."

"By 'stuff,' I assume you mean that you engaged in coitus?"

"Yeah," he admitted, "and not the usual."

Coran tilted his head.

"Usual?" I'm afraid that you'll have to be more specific, m'boy."

"Well, not the usual for us. I mean we did the usual. You know, insert A into B. But then she asked if she could," He looked around nervously before leaning in and whispered:

"Insert something in me. I assumed that she meant a toy and I kinda put her off. Told her maybe some other time." It really surprised him, to be honest. Allura didn't strike him as the kinky type. They only really had vaginal sex. He'd done oral on her, which was why he knew that the markings weren't just on her face. She tried to repay the favor last night, but the bite she gave him...

Her body was stronger than a human woman's. That included her mouth. He didn't know if a pod could grow back body parts.

"Then she suggested that we try something else. The toy thing. Which I didn't know that Alteans had."

"Did she shift?"

"Huh?"

"Her genitalia. Did it change? Quiznak, is she in heat?"

"You keep saying heat and cycle, and I still don't know what you mean. If she doesn't have a womb or pouch, does she still get periods?" He doubted it, since Pidge once asked her for pads and Allura just stared at her blankly. She did take her to the space mall where she looked and looked for a "pad." She ended up in the Terra shop and walked out with three old tablets.

"Well, I suppose heat and cycle aren't exactly the same things. A heat is the part of an Altean's cycle where they can conceive. They will experience higher levels of arousal and feel the need to mate. They will engage in 'the usual.' This allows for the eggs to be fertilized. After a movement or so, the female will shift in order to deposit the fertilized eggs."

Lance was quiet. Coran could see the synapses in his brain firing. He knew he should reassure him or something. It was probably very overwhelming to learn about other species' mating habits. Coran still remembered when he learned about the dynamics of Galra reproduction. They had secondary sexes that were really confusing. It didn't make sense that a female could not simply couple with a male and produce a child. Then some males could get pregnant, but only omegas with the proper alpha. 

And the knotting. He suppressed a shiver. 

"Do you think she's in heat now?" Lance finally said. 

"She might be. You said her skin was hot?"

"Yeah. Will she be okay? She missed breakfast and lunch today" 

Coran nodded solemnly. She barely ate anything last night. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but Allura just watched Lance eat. The moment he was done, she excused herself and asked that Lance help her with some maintenance with the Blue Lion. Hunk made some comment under his breath about how she should ask an actual engineer. Again, Coran just assumed that they were going off to kiss or whatever young people in secret relationships did these days. That was when he decided to give the Red Paladin an education on Altean biology.

He stood up quickly and went to the kitchen. Lance set the picture back in the box and followed. He watched at the Altean gather up some water pouches and the snack cakes that Hunk made earlier. They were similar to a granola bar with nuts and berries. After some more rummaging in cupboards Lance didn’t even know that they had in the kitchen, he came up with a few small packets. Hastily, Coran threw the water and snacks on a tray and offered it the confused paladin.

“Give these to Allura,” he ordered.

“Okay. But she kicked me out. Didn’t know she was that into butt stuff. No offense.”

“She’s probably just embarrassed that you didn’t want her to lay her eggs in you.”

“Gross.”

“Heh, that’s amusing coming from someone who drinks secretions from Kaltenecker. Oh, and make sure that you mix the contents of this” he shoved the Crystal Lite-type packet into Lance’s hand “into one of the water pouches. Alteans sometimes forget to eat during heats and the consequences can be severe.”

“Like what? Pleasuring themselves to death?” he snorted.

“Why do you think I was raised by my Pop-Pop?”

“I don’t know. To add to your harrowing back story?” he sighed. He was exhausted from his night with Allura and barely got to eat his lunch. Seeing Lotor practically killed his appetite and then Coran brought out the box and started telling his story of how he gave birth to Lance’s girlfriend.

Altean men were pretty bad about letting Lance eat today.

“My father died when I was born and my mother died during her first heat without him.”

“Wait. Did she starve?”

“Well, that’s neither here nor there.” Nan-Nan insisted that she died of a broken heart. Pop-Pop, always the practical one, argued that her health deteriorated due to not taking care of herself during her heat. 

Coran remembered seeing his mother a couple quintants before her death. He had heard Nan-Nan begging her eat or drink something. Anything. Pop-Pop offered to find a male prostitute to help her out, but only if she ate first. She refused their help.

That was when Nan-Nan got him to say hello to her. It was before the Castle of Lions had been built. Coran barely had any memories of his mother. When he saw her for the last time, her eyes were dark from lack of sleep and her cheeks hollow. She smiled sadly and told him that he looked like his father.

Years later, Coran mentioned if seeing him reminded her of his father and inspired her to keep trying to relieve herself. He said it as a realization, almost like he was proud of himself for thinking of it.

Although he was pragmatic and a bit rough around the edges, Pop-Pop stopped what he was doing and said that neither hers nor his father’s deaths were Coran’s fault.

“But he died having me. Technically, it was my fault.”

Pop-Pop actually slapped him when he pointed that out. He had never hit Coran before and never hit him again. Honestly, he looked as shocked as his grandson felt that he had actually struck him.

“I’m sorry, m’boy. I don’t want you to ever feel like you killed either of them. I always swore that I’d hurt anyone who said otherwise, but I didn’t mean you.” He embraced Coran.  
“And even if she died of a broken heart, that wasn’t your fault.”

“It just means that she loved Father, right?”

 

What had Pop-Pop said after that? That was one thing Coran could not recall at this time.

“Wait. So Allura can literally die from a heat?”

“Technically, yes, she could. If her heat started last night, she is most likely just dehydrated.”

“Crap, Coran! And we’ve been sitting here talking? I gotta check on her!”

“That’s why it is vital that you mix this in the water. Just don’t let her see you put it in. It is specifically for Alteans in heat. She’ll figure out that I gave it to you and then your secret will be-”

He turned to see Lance already halfway down the corridor.

“-Out. I hope he heard me.”


	7. Chapter 7

Allura was a mess. She clearly had not gotten out of bed since she kicked him out early this morning. Her hair was bushier than usual and her dressing gown only half on, leaving her breasts practically exposed. In addition to her general unkempt appearance, the room stunk of sweat and sex.

When she saw her boyfriend, she hastily threw a blanket over her lower body.

“What do you want?” she demanded. Despite the weariness in her voice and the bags under her eyes, Lance could see her hand moving under the sheets as she tried to pleasure herself.

“Just wanted to check on you. I though you could use something to eat,” he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

“I’m fine,” she huffed, “go away.”

Hmm. Coran had mentioned that Alteans were reluctant to eat during a heat, but he did not say what to do if she refused to eat. Should he ask nicely? Bribe her? Threaten her?

“Please?”

“Go away.”

Okay, asking nicely did not work. Maybe a bribe?

“I’ll get you something shiny the next time we go to the Space Mall.”

“Why would I want something shiny right now?”

“Technically, it would be later, so it’s more a promise of something shiny.”

“Fantastic,” she deadpanned, “Go. Away.”

He smacked his forehead. Right, why would she want something shiny? Right now, all she wanted was to make babies.

What had Coran’s grandfather offered his mom? A prostitute? That was out of the question. Lance would prefer to not offer another man to Allura. He would rather be her mate.

“We can try the butt thing, if you’d like.”

She looked horrified and confused.

“But you said no. I will not force myself on you. Please leave.” This time, she didn’t sound angry. Only tired and perhaps a bit guilty.

Crap. He guessed he could threaten to leave her, but that would probably just upset her. That is, if he could say that he would leave her and make it sound convincing.

Then what was left? He doubted she would let him force the food down her throat. Even in her current state, she could kick his ass nine ways to Sunday. How to get an extremely aroused woman to eat without actually having sex?

A line from an old anime came to mind.

“What if I let you drink it from my mouth?” he asked. He knew he probably did not sound as sexy as Tamaki when he offered to let that one girl drink the commoner coffee from his mouth. At least he sounded better than the dubbed version.

“Alright.”

“Okay.” He took one of the water pouches and put in the straw.

“Hmm.” He wasn’t sure how to go about having her drink from his mouth. That part had not been in the anime. The girl had agreed to it, as Allura had.

He frowned. Allura was sitting there with her mouth open wide.

“How does this work?” she demanded as he laughed despite himself.

“I don’t know. I mean, I could put the food in my mouth and you take it.”

“Then why did you suggest it?”

“I have no idea. Honestly, I’m tired. I didn’t eat much lunch and I just want you to eat. At least drink something.”

He offered her the pouch again. Thankfully, this time she took a few small sips that turned into big gulps that quickly drained the pouch.

“More?”

Allura nodded meekly, somewhat embarrassed that she refused to drink when she was actually quite thirsty. She hadn’t had a heat in at least ten thousand years. During the war, things were so stressful that she simply skipped.

Come to think about it, Allura never really had a proper heat. She experienced a few preheats where she had fevers and her genitalia changed, but they weren’t actual heats.

As she watched Lance open another water pouch, she thought about how lucky she was to have him. While a bit rough around the edges at first, Allura knew that she loved him. He had confidence and a dedicated paladin with a heart of gold. He had grown so much in the short time that they had known each other, even more so since she took over piloting Blue.

How she wished she could explain what was happening to her. Pidge told her that human males were not capable of bearing children. There were trans men, but her boyfriend was not trans. Allura doubted that they could make a baby even if Lance was trans since they would both be biologically female.

What would he say if she explained Altean biology to him? She considered it earlier when she felt herself changing. She had felt hopeful. Maybe they were compatible. If her body shifted, surely there was a chance.

But then Lance politely refused. She doubted anything could be more embarrassing than be driven to try something with her boyfriend and have him say no.

“Wait. I forgot.” Lance reached for the tray and grabbed a packet that looked like those supplements she saw Alteans take before and during heats.

Her eyes narrowed. They were supplements! How did he find them? They were well hidden in a secret kitchen cupboard since they were meant specifically for Alteans in heat and could have possible side effects if taken by someone else.

“Where did you get those?” she demanded.

“These? Hunk made them. They’re pretty tasty. You can have one after you drink your water,” he said in a singsong voice, moving the granola-type snack in the air as if to entice her.

“I meant that packet.”

“Oh. Uh, Coran gave it to me.”

“Did you tell him about us?”

“What! Why would you say that? He just gave me this stuff and asked me to take it to you since you missed two meals today.”

“Why would he give supplements for Alteans in heat?”

Lance sighed.

“I didn’t tell him. He figured it out,” he admitted.

“How?” she whined.

“You did give me a pretty good hickey last night.” He pulled the collar of his jacket down to reveal the bruise she had given him.

“That’s a bond mark, not a hickey,” she corrected.

“You bit my neck and sucked on it. On Earth, that is called a hickey,” he replied politely.

“Ugh, so he knows? What did he say?”

“Not much,” he lied, “gave me the talk about Altean biology. He didn’t want me to accidentally get pregnant right now.”

“Can you? I in the future, I mean.”

He smiled and put his hand on her face.

“I’ve always wanted a family. It’s probably not the right time right now.” He stroked the Altean mark under her left eye.

“I’d love to have kids with you someday. Little tan babies with little dots in their pupils and markings under their eyes.”

“Boys or girls?”

“Why not both? How many would you want?”

“I was an only child. Sometimes, it was a bit lonely. My nanny said that siblings would have made me less spoiled. You have siblings, right?”

“Two brothers and a sister,” he confirmed.

“I think girls would be cute. Maybe I’m biased, but I can’t imagine what an Altean boy would look like.”

She giggled.

“Well, you’ve only met one full blooded Altean male. I promise any children we’d have would not resemble Coran.”

“Just as long as they don’t look like Lotor,” he teased.

Allura leaned in close.

“Just as long as they don’t have your ears,” she whispered before nibbling playfully at his rounded ear.

“Now, now. You’re not getting any of me until you eat.” He held the snack cake in front of his mouth since she looked like she wanted to kiss him. She captured the cake in between her teeth with a fierceness that both did not match her pouting lips and made him fear for his member should he ever take Allura up on her offer for oral sex.

And speaking of members…

“Is that a roll of quarters in your pants or are you just happy to see me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do I tag a female alien who can shapeshift her vagina into a penis-type thing without using "futanari" or "oviposition?" Don't get me wrong: I like oviposition and females with temporary penises, but I'm kind of shy and I don't plan on really writing anything terribly explicit. We'll see.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Allura explore some kinks, as does the writer of this fic.

“What the quiznak are quarters?”

 

“They’re a kind of coin from Earth. I think they are about the same size as a GAC coin. You can put them in these little paper sleeves.”

 

“Well, alright. I don’t have any ‘quarters’ on me at the moment. But I am happy to see you.” She scooted closer to Lance.

 

“Okay, something is poking me.”

 

Allura paused.

 

“How much did Coran tell you about Altean biology?” she asked hesitantly.

 

“Enough. He said your stuff would change, but did not specify exactly how.”

 

“So you know? If we have coitus now, it would-you couldn’t uh.”

 

“That your vagina wouldn’t exactly be a vagina right now. It’s probably more similar to what I have.”

 

She relaxed and looked relieved.

 

“Right.”

 

“Can I see?”

 

Allura blinked. Lance was not a homosexual. He might be bisexual like her father, but she was not sure.

 

Huh. She could probably ask him that.

 

“Are you bisexual? My father was bisexual.”

 

“I’ve always liked girls. Guys can be good-looking, but I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to sleep with one. However,” he placed his hand on her shoulder.

 

“I still wouldn’t mind seeing your thing or whatever it is. Temporary penis.”

 

“But you’re not bisexual.”

 

“But I’m Allura-sexual. And maybe I’m a bit bi-curious.”

 

Her cheeks darkened. Shyly, she pulled back the blanket. It was slimmer than Lance’s, but didn’t have a head like his own. It was wider at the base of her curls and tapered out into a point near the tip. It wasn’t a sharp point, like the tips of her ears. It was the same color as the markings under her eyes and kind of bendy-looking.

 

“Huh. I think I saw one of these at the mall. A toy version, but I thought it was a store that sold prosthetics. I didn’t realize it was a sex shop.” Guess he owed Hunk twenty GAC after all.

 

“Really? I suppose that’s comforting to know that the Galra still have fetishes for our genitalia despite all but wiping us out. As if their reproductive habits aren’t strange enough.”

 

“Don’t be racist, hun,” he reminded gently.

 

“I know. Obviously, Alteans and the Galra are biologically similar.” She looked sad for a moment. Then she perked up.

 

“Wait a tick. Keith exists!”

 

“Don’t remind me.”

 

“But do you know what that means?”

 

“That’s I’m going to throw up all over your tentadick? Because that’s what going to happen if you keep talking about Keith.”

 

She rolled her eyes.

 

“Keith is half human and half Galra. Lotor is half Galra and half Altean.”

 

“Killing the mood, sweetness.”

 

“If humans can mate with Galra and Galra can mate with Alteans, surely humans can mate with Alteans. Oh, that’s fantastic!”

 

Lance eyed her thing uneasily. It was moving slightly and possibly getting longer.

 

“That’s a great theory. It really is. However, I don’t have a uterus.”

 

“That’s alright. I don’t either. I’m not even sure what that is,” she laughed and waved her hand dismissively.

 

“Okay then. Where am I supposed to carry a baby? It’s like Haggar and Zarkon. They didn’t have a pouch between them.”

 

Allura frowned.

 

“I’d prefer we don’t discuss my father’s killer and the witch right now. That is an extreme turn off. Besides, they somehow made Lo-a child. If they can, so can we.” She leaned into to kiss him.

He sighed. He’d heard of women wanting babies and catching the baby fever. It was a trope on television, after all. Usually, it was played for comedic purposes on sitcoms. Couples sneaking off to try for a baby while their friend were in labor. Stuff like that was funny and they typically didn’t seem to conceive at the time.

 

However, those skits were centered on human biology. Human women had a cycle, too. They could only get pregnant at certain times. They might try for babies at other times, but not trying during these times would not kill them. Maybe it would hurt emotionally to not conceive, but Lance doubted that they would forget to eat and die from dehydration or starvation.

 

“Allura, I know you want a baby right now. Your body wants to procreate with me.” Procreate? What a nerdy word! Pidge would be proud of me.

 

“Well, yes. Although, it is practically unheard of to conceive on the first time. Both partners would have to be at the right stage of their cycles.” Her reassuring tone was cute, like she didn’t want him to be afraid of getting pregnant right now.

 

“And the proper parts.”

 

“I guess.” She did not sound convinced. He could practically hear her saying that life would find a way, like it had with Lotor or Keith. Whatever.

 

“Are you prepared if I don’t get pregnant? Like emotionally?”

 

“Am I prepared if you don’t get emotionally pregnant?”

 

“How does someone get emotionally pregnant?” He shook his head. He thought he was being clear, but grammar could be stupid.

 

“Will you be disappointed if I don’t get pregnant? I don’t want you to get your hopes up and have them dashed.” The image of Alfor bleeding from Coran’s story came to mind despite never have actually seeing it.

 

“I guess I would be disappointed. It’s foolish because I know you can’t get pregnant. My mind knows that. My body does not. It just wants to indulge in my stupid fantasy!” she growled in frustration.

 

Lance smiled and kissed her.

 

“Then let’s indulge.”

 

“Come again?” she sputtered.

 

He coupled his hand around her ear.

 

“Can I touch it?” he whispered.

“It what?” She was pretty sure of the answer, though.

 

“Your tentadick or whatever that pink thing is in between your legs.”

 

“You don’t have to.” She moaned softly as he trailed kisses down her neck.

 

“But can I?”

 

“You may. Ahh!” she gasped as he wrapped his hand around her appendage.

 

“You okay?” he panicked, his voice having lost its suaveness as he withdrew his hand.

 

“Yes. Please continue.”

 

Hesitantly, Lance reached down again. This time his touch was lighter, barely ghosting over it with his fingertips. At first, she wasn’t sure if he was afraid of hurting her or if he was reluctant to touch.

 

“H-How does it feel? Describe it.”

 

He swallowed.

 

“It’s hot. Soft and velvety, like when I’m inside you. I think it’s a little longer than mine.”

 

“An Altean’s pouch is situated deeper in their abdomen than a human’s womb. We need to go a ways to deposit.” Allura could hear herself babbling. She must have berated herself out loud because her boyfriend’s other hand gave her thigh a firm pat.

 

“Don’t ever feel bad about explaining anything to me, especially if it is something like this. Y’know, personal stuff. You can share anything with me here and I won’t laugh. Although, some of those organs sound made up,” he teased.

 

She cried out again as he ran his palm-not fingertips this time, thankfully-down to the base. This time, Lance did not pull away.

 

“And it’s not slimy. I thought it would be.”

 

She smirked.

 

“It’s not slimy yet. If I get aroused enough, it will produce a lubricant, like my vagina does.”

 

“Like on the outside? That’s…interesting”

 

“There would be some on the outside, yes.”

 

“I guess that makes sense. It’s not like guys produce lubrication there.”

 

“I think you’re mistaken. We don’t actually conceive by anal sex. Such as mine has shifted to deposit, so can Altean men shift to receive. They also produce a lubricant, or slick.”

 

“And does stuff come out of here?” he asked, running his thumb over the tip and causing her breath to hitch and her foot to kick out as a reflex. Quiznak, that felt good!

“Yes. The eggs, or zygotes, I suppose. There is some discharge, but not nearly as much as you produce.” She expected Lance to blush. She was not disappointed, but he did suddenly seem uneasy.

 

“How big are these eggs? Are they like chicken eggs? Cause I doubt that you could produce a chicken sized egg from there.” He gave her tip a gentle flick that made Allura want him to stop talking and mate with her.

 

No. She needed to explain what was going to happen first. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know what to expect and might get frightened or feel violated. Neither feeling did she want her love to experience at all, let alone to feel it because of her.

 

“They’re much smaller than a GAC coin. Practically microscopic and they would not have a hard shell like that of a fowl.”

 

“And they’ve been fertilized. Would they look like babies? Are they viable?” His worried expression, which cleared when she said they were small, came back.

 

Allura considered.

 

“Maybe? They won’t be viable if I continue without you. Nor would they survive if I don’t expel them. My body temperature would rise and could cause health issues.” She placed her hand on his face. Her normally cool fingers were hot to the touch.

 

Lance found that very alarming. He may not be super bright, but he knew how important it was for a person’s core temperature to be stable. That’s why people exposed to the cold tended to get frostbite on their extremities first. The reverse should be true, too, right? If even Allura’s hands were toasty, her core temperature must be ridiculously high.

 

“Lance, did you hear what I said?”

 

Belatedly, he realized that she had been speaking. He shook his head sheepishly.

 

“You don’t have to help me,” Allura said gently, “I can talk to Coran since he knows now and I can get suppressants that will reduce my urge to breed you.”

 

His mouth went dry. So far their sex life pretty vanilla. However, the way that she had said that made him think that she had a breeding kink.

 

“Breed me,” he repeated after a moment.

 

“Are you making a statement or asking a question?”

 

And the way she said that? What answer did she want? She almost sounded hopeful.

 

“Neither. It was a request.”

 

“Oh?” Her voice was shaky, but not from nerves. Maybe lust?

 

“Yes. Breed me good.” He felt her member twitch in his hand.

 

“I’ll breed you well, my love. We’ll make so many babies that Alteans won’t be an endangered species anymore.”

 

“Hopefully not that many right now. I’d hate to get so huge.”

 

Allura pouted.

 

“But you’d be so lovely.” Her hand snaked under his shirt and along his abs.

 

“Imagine, our baby growing inside and rounding out your stomach. If you think that my libido is high now, it would be intensified if you were with child.” She shivered.

 

Lance could feel himself getting hard. It wasn’t like he wanted to get pregnant, but the way Allura spoke made him feel good. He seemed a bit vain about looks, but he was actually insecure. The idea of his girl friend still loving and lusting after him if he gained weight was nice.

 

It was also highly arousing that she wanted him so much.

 

“Let’s get these off.” She unfastened his pants and pulled them down.

 

“You’re wearing the undergarments I got for you? You look ravishing in them,” she said, putting heavy emphasis on the r.

 

“Oh, I love when you roll your r’s like that,” he moaned. Hastily, he shucked off the Altean-type boxers.

 

“Get on your hands and knees,” she ordered, her tone suddenly similar to when they were first training as Paladins.

 

“Of course, Princessa.”

 

She gave his bottom a playful smack.

 

“You ready?” He could feel something tickling his ass.

 

“Whoa whoa hold up. That doesn’t produce any…slick.”

 

“That doesn’t seem to stop Keith and Shiro. Although, you do have a point.”

 

“You still have that lubricant stuff?”

 

“I misplaced it.” Allura was pretty sure that one of the mice ran off with it after scolding her for having sex outside of marriage. As if they had any room to talk. They were mice and probably didn’t even have marriage.

 

“That’s…not ideal, but I guess if you stretch me out and we go easy.”

 

“You’re certain? How do I do that?”

 

“Just like I did when we first made love.”

 

She nodded and poked her finger in. Lance managed not to jump. He had touched himself back there before and it felt good.

 

“Like this?”

 

He made an affirmative noise.

 

“Now add a second finger. Slowly.”

 

“Does it hurt?” she asked when he gasped. She couldn’t tell if it was a sound of pain or pleasure.

 

"It's weird. You sure you don't have any lube?"

 

"Not in here. There might be some down in the medical bay."

 

"We have a medical bay? Do you mean the bridge?" That's where the cryopods were. He kind of hoped that there was an actual medical bay. It was hard enough to concentrate on the bridge as it was.

 

There was a knock at the door.

 

"Shit!" she called out in surprise.

 

"Sorry? I was wondering if you had anymore of that medicine?" It was Shiro.

 

"Yes. Well, not on me." She turned to Lance and mouthed the word "headache."

 

"They're in the medical bay, right? I can get some for myself," Shiro offered.

 

"Why does everyone know about this medical bay, but me?" he whispered.

 

She shushed him.

 

"Yes, there should be some in the medical bay. Coran can help you find it."

 

"Sounds good."

 

"Wait! Can you also bring me something?"

 

Oh no. Was she going to ask him to bring what Lance thought she was going to ask him for?

 

"Sure. What you do need?"

 

"Lubricant."

 

"From the medical bay? Oh." His voice trailed off as he realized what she meant.

 

"I'm not sure I'd know where to find that."

 

"Just bring whatever you and Keith use. Only new, preferably. No offense."

 

"Lance, be quite!" Allura hissed.

 

Great. Now Shiro knew that he was in there. So much for a secret relationship.

 

"I'll...bring that for you. Do you need anything else? Like condoms?"

 

"No, I don't need one."

 

Shiro was glad that he was on the other side of the door. He wasn't sure what was worse: the fact that they knew about Keith and him, the idea of Allura and Lance having unprotected sex, or his headache.

 

Or the fact that Allura said that she didn't need a condom.

 

At least the headache could be treated with medication.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance isn't homophobic. Keith is just annoying.


	9. Chapter 9

Coran sat back down and opened the box back up. In his haste to get food for Allura, he hadn’t folded up her blanket. The queen had spent so much time on embroidering it. She started the receiving blanket shortly after the procedure to implant the embryo.

\-----

It took almost a decaphoeb getting ready for the procedure. He changed his diet to gain some weight. He took vitamins and hormones. They also had to test his hormone levels during his cycle, which included taking samples from his pouch. It had been invasive. Alfor always came to his appointments, which also made Coran feel embarrassed. At the latest appointment, he snapped and actually said something.

“I don’t have to stay if I am making you uncomfortable,” he said as Honerva finished the latest batch of tests.

“It’s alright.”

Alfor frowned.

“That’s not what you just said.”

He sighed.

“I’m sorry I snapped. It’s just that these tests are kind of wearing me out. And I don’t want you to see me like this,” he muttered the last part, but the king caught it.

“Coran, I’ve seen you naked before. We’ve helped each other out during our heats before.”

The advisor started laughing.

“You don’t need to whisper. Honerva knows. She took my medical history, which included my sexual habits.”

“And you told her?” Alfor looked scandalized.

“With all due respect, your Majesty, I’m not stupid. Coran is a homosexual and said that he has only had one partner. It was easy to deduce that it was you. Why else would you ask him to carry your child?”

“Technically, he offered. And why wouldn’t he offer? We are friends and he is also my advisor. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my child.”

“Even though his father died during childbirth?”

“That wasn’t Coran’s fault. His father died from complications from childbirth. That was centuries ago. Medicine has come a long way. Why, using embryos conceived in a clinic is only a recent development.”

Honerva rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. Anyways,” she addressed Coran, “your hormone levels are optimal for implantation. You should be shifting sometime tonight so we could do the procedure tomorrow.”

“Interesting how you know when an Altean man will shift since you’re a virgin and not into Altean men. I had no idea you were clairvoyant."

“Yes, I’m a witch,” she drawled sardonically, “I am also an alchemist and I understand biology.”

“So, we can do the procedure tomorrow?” Coran asked.

Honerva shrugged.

“Yes and no. The tool we used for depositing malfunctioned and won’t be fixed in time. However, we can go the more traditional route. We will insert the embryo back into the queen and she can deposit it into Coran.”

“What now?” Coran knew that a frozen embryo could be briefly in a female for her to deposit into their mate. Alfor and the queen had done so with the first two embryos. It was possible and was supposed to help a couple feel closer even though their child was conceived clinically (some Alteans were still wary of “lab babies”).

“I’m not sure if my wife or Coran would be comfortable with that.”

“They’ve both slept with you. I’d say this might be a nice change of pace for both of them.”

Alfor stood up and slammed his hands on the table.

“I’d appreciate you not talking so freely about how I spend my private time with, Honerva.”

She stood up and slammed her hands on the table.

“And don’t imply I’m a virgin! You Altean men do not compare to a Galra alpha like Zarkon.”

Coran put his hands on their shoulders and pushed them apart.

"That's enough! Honerva's right. There will be a small window of opportunity to do the procedure. If the queen consents, I'll very happily uh engage in coitus with her."

"But what if I don't consent?" Alfor whined softly.

Honerva barked out a laugh.

"Do you want an heir or not? Honestly, you can't get everything you want. I won't tell her majesty about...indiscretion," she glanced pointedly at the royal advisor.

"Obviously, I cannot get everything I want. Otherwise, we wouldn't be doing this!" he shouted before storming off.

He hung his head. Why would Alfor not want him to carry his child? If anything, Coran was a bit reluctant to get pregnant. He was doing this because Alfor could not carry a child to term and he loved Alfor. Why would he say something like that?

She patted his shoulder.

"He's just upset because he can't have this child himself. He's probably just jealous."

He looked at her, eyes wide. Honerva wasn't alway warm and fuzzy. Furthermore, she was kind of socially awkward, even more so since she started studying the Rift. Similiarily, Alfor only starting trying for children and losing them since he started studying the ore.

"But what if I lose it? My father did die after having me. My mum died of a broken heart."

"I read the medical report on your mother. Yes, she died from complications from a heat, but her heart was fine. You know, other than the fact that it stopped beating."

So much for Honerva's compassion.

"Don't you believe in love? You seem rather fond of Zarkon. And if you say that your feelings are based solely on biological impulses, I must point out that there has never been an Altean-Galra hybrid."

"It might be possible between some male omegas and female Alteans," she offered, "although I see your point."

She went to pick up the equipment Alfor knocked off the table. Coran went to help her, but she waved him off.

"Go get something to eat and get some rest. Relax. Stress reduces the chances of the embryo implanting properly. Unless we can make some more embryos, this would be the last one."

"No pressure then," he chuckled nervously.

Honerva blinked.

"Sure." She always thought that Coran was a bit daft, but now he just seemed dumb. There was a lot of pressure on him.

"I'm joking, Honerva."

She tilted her head.

"Aren't jokes supposed to be amusing?"

"Only if you don't have a stick up your sit-upon. Or maybe an alpha's member."

"Huh, yeah." She smiled and blushed, reminding him of a school girl.

 -----

True to Honerva's calculations, Coran did shift early that morning. The tool was not fixed. Luckily, the queen shifted as well. Everything was going as planned and everyone was ready.

Everyone...except for Alfor. The king ate dinner alone in his lab. Coran shared an awkward dinner with the queen. They hadn't said much to each other and ate in relative silence. She left early. Judging by the flush on her face, he guessed she was near the end of her heat cycle.

He was getting dressed in a hospital gown when the door swished opened.

"Just a minute!" He rushed to cover himself.

"You don't have to hide from me."

Coran looked up. There stood Alfor, looking quite contrite.

"You're here," he sighed, relieved that his partner decided to show up. Despite their argument last night, he feared that Alfor would not show up.

"Did you believe that I wasn't coming? I mean, I promised to be here."

Coran nodded. Yes, he had promised phoebs ago that he wanted to be there when the procedure was done. Now, it was less of a procedure and more of having sex with another man's wife in front of her husband.

"I'm sorry, Coran. The way I behaved yesterday was horrendous."

"I can't imagine that watching her highness with me of all people would be something you'd want to see witness." He patted the cot beside him.

"It's not that I don't want her sleeping with you or you carrying my child because you're not worthy. You are more than worthy. You are a far greater man than I am. Maybe," he sat down on the cot and threaded his fingers through his advisor's.

"Maybe neither you or my wife need me."

Coran's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Congratulations. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. And it came from a brilliant alchemist such as yourself!" he laughed.

"Really?"

He nodded, leaning forward so that their foreheads touched.

 "With all due respect, you are a fool, your majesty," he said softly.

Alfor chuckled.

"Coran, you're a gorgeous man."

They heard soft feminine giggle and looked up to see the queen.

"Darling!" Alfor jumped up like he had been burned.

"It's alright, dear. He is a gorgeous man." She kissed the advisor on his cheek.

"Offering to carry our child. Only a man with a beautiful soul would be so kind."

"Right. That's what Alf-his majesty meant."

"Honerva said that you have never been with a woman. Only Alfor. Oh, not like that!" she hurriedly added, "I know boys help each other out. We girls do as well."

"Of course!" Coran nodded.

"In the past. Naturally. Decaphoebs ago." Alfor glanced at Coran.

"It's alright," the queen assured him, no doubt interpreting her husband's facial expression as apologetic. Quiznak, they both knew him so well. Why must they keep lying to her?

"You ready, Coran? Alfor, will you be staying?"

"I promised that I would. If that is alright with you."

"It's fine," the queen and Coran said in unison after a moment. After all, it had not been clear exactly clear who he had been asking for permission.

\-----

Being with a woman was different. An Altean woman's was more like a tentacle. Instead of being flesh colored, it was the color of their blood. Part of what made them a chameleon species was that their blood came in different colors. The same rule applied for when a man shifted to receive the eggs (when Coran had a vagina, the inside was the same blue as the markings under his eyes). Furthermore, a female's member was longer, thinner, and flexible. Implanting the embryo had been an interesting experience. Some Alteans experienced a heat haze where they did not clearly remember their heat. With all the potential dangers associated with Altean mating cycles, a heat could be stressful. A heat haze was an evolutionary trait that helped people forget the discomfort of mating and helped Alteans not to go extinct.

Like tails for Galra, this was a vestigial trait. Coran remembered Allura's conception through a haze of artificial hormones and sensations. The crinkle of the sterile paper meant to protect the hospital cot that ended up soaked in sweat and slick. The queen's clothed breasts pressed against his own chest and her member reaching further inside him than Alfor's penis ever had gone.

Alfor, who spent the three vargas of foreplay and coitus standing behind Coran, stroking his hair and murmuring reassuring words when he made any signs of discomfort. Who smiled and kissed his wife's knuckles as she apologized for kissing him as she neared her climax.

"Darling, if people apologized every time they kissed Coran, the two of us may never have any actual conversations."

Now that sounded suspicious. Normally, the advisor would have said something like, "That's why I don't talk to myself." Something short. A witty remark that could be taken as a joke, not as a thinly veiled attempt to cover up his secret relationship with the king. And Coran did think of a response. He may have even thought of that response. It was hard to be witty when his boyfriend's wife was balls deep inside of him and asking if she could mark him.

"Ancients," Alfor breathed.

"Do whatever you need to!" Coran managed. While not always as common as it used to be, biting and placing bond marks was still acceptable in Altean society. Coran never experienced it, since being having bond marks when not bonded would be suspicious. However, some specialists argued that marking supposedly increased the odds of a successful pregnancy. Some of these "specialists" thought that babies conceived in a lab were not "real" babies.

With the king and queen's rotten luck with getting an heir, he was willing to believe in superstitions. If that meant being marked by the queen in front of her husband/his boyfriend, so be it.

Why did that sound so hot? Did Alfor think that sounded hot? If the growing erection pressed against his back was any indicator, Coran might say that he did.

 "It's alright-ahnrgh!" he gasped as she bit down on the base of his neck.

Her body shuddered. He could feel her cry of pleasure reverberate down to his very bones.

"Wow," Coran panted after a few dozen ticks. The queen unclamped her jaw, suddenly aware that she was still biting him.

"Yes. Right. Uh, Alfor. Let's lay him down."

"Right! Of course!" He helped Coran lay down and grabbed some pillows that they stored under the cot to prop his hips up.

"I'm going to go check on Honerva. You too stay like that. Don't pull out yet, darling!" he called as he rushed out of the room.

"He does know that Honerva went back this morning, right?"

The queen rolled her eyes.

"He should. Even if she hadn't, why would he need to check on her? I think that he is going to go take care of himself. I never expected him to be so much of a voyeur."

"Who would?" he offered lamely. Now that they were no longer having sex, her member felt strange inside of him. Staying inside was not medically necessary for conception as it was with Galra alphas and their mates. Again, if the superstitions didn't hurt anything, who cared?

"He should be back soon. I know that you're probably not comfortable. Oh, and I made you bleed," she fretted, pouting sympathetically at the bite mark next to his collarbone.

"I could have told you that." He gestured to his own lips, encouraging her to do the same. She licked her lips tentatively and tasted the copper tang of blood.

"Oh my stars, Coran! I am so sorry! As soon as Alfor gets back, I'll dress that wound for you."

"It's alright, your highness," he chuckled.

Alfor came back a quarter of a varga after he left.

"Was Honerva hard to locate?" the queen asked, winking at Coran, who stifled a laugh.

"Who? Oh, right! She was."

"Can we separate? My arms are getting tired."

He nodded and turned to his advisor.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little tired," he admitted, trying not to watch as the queen shifted back to her regular genitalia.

"Me too. We should rest. I brought your pajamas to our room."

"You want me to sleep in your room?"

"Well, just for a few days. I know your bed can be uncomfortable and we want you to be comfortable. Besides, we want to make sure the embryo implants," he murmured the last part. It was an old wive's tale that sharing a bed after a heat cycle helped result in pregnancy. As a man of science, Alfor knew that superstitions were not based on fact. If Coran wasn't pregnant now, the odds of getting pregnant probably wouldn't be increased just by laying in bed with his boyfriend and his wife.

But if it put Alfor's mind at ease, what was the harm?

 


	10. Chapter 10

Coran liked how things worked together. It was what made him such a great mechanic. In some ways, a person was like a machine. Like a machine, a person needed to have the right fuel and required periods of rest. When sick or injured, special care was needed to bring their body back to optimum working condition. A body of any species was like a machine.

One major difference? Machines were made, not born. He was painfully aware of this fact at the time. The queasiness he felt at dinner was not going away. He had not told anyone yet, although Alfor kept glancing at him as he picked at his food. It had been about a phoeb since the procedure (it had been more of a threesome than a medical procedure, who was he kidding). The queasiness could be morning sickness. With the amount of hormones he had been given, a pregnancy test was not advised until the second phoeb. The hormones might cause a false positive. The only way to know for sure was to get in a healing pod and perform a scan. Alfor left for a brief diplomatic mission after dinner. Coran knew he'd be disappointed if they did not find out together.

He got up to get an antacid for his stomach and use the bathroom. At least peeing more often was a good sign. He lifted the seat and opened his fly. However, where his penis should have been, there was nothing.

He frowned and reached further back.

 _I must have shifted_ , he thought. It wasn't unheard of for Altean men to shift outside of a heat. They might even shift in their sleep after an arousing dream. Coran didn't believe that he had been dreaming about anything, let alone a sexy dream. He laid in bed in a half awake state trying to ignore the growing nausea, but he had not dreamed anything.

He felt something wet on his fingers.

 _It's probably just slick, Coran,_ he told himself. _You may be having a false heat_. He turned on the lights and looked at his hand. Instead of seeing a clear, viscous fluid, he saw blue.

Blood. He was bleeding.

Images of Alfor nearly bleeding to death came to mind. There wasn't that much blood, but the embryo was small. Ancients, what if he lost it? What would Alfor say?

He walked as fast as he could to the bridge. Luckily, he didn't run into anyone who would question him. His fingers shook as he pulled up a healing pod and chose the scanning criteria, careful not to put in anything that would cause harm to an embryo. He also set a timer so that the pod would open when it was finished. He knew that there was nothing more embarrassing than to get into a pod and come out to people staring at you, asking what was wrong when they could see what was wrong. Not a particularly fun experience, like with stomach issues or sex related injuries.

He stepped in feeling like a nervous wreck and only received a brief reprieve as his body was scanned.

\-----

The pod opened, a cloud of steam escaping with a hiss. Coran stumbled to his control panel, his bare feet not liking the cool metal floor beneath them. He really should have put on socks or slippers. It didn't help that the cryo pods weren't exactly warm and toasty. He waited for the data from the scan to transfer to his computer. It took less than a dobash, but felt like vargas.

"Please be good news," he prayed to no one in particular. Frantically, he read the data. His heart rate was elevated, but that was to be expected. It should have been higher with all the stress he felt at the moment. He was a bit dehydrated and overdue for a good night's rest. Fetal heart rate was normal. There was some error message that the child was not biologically his. When he clicked on it, there was the name and contact information of a marriage therapist.

"I really need to update my virus software. There should not be this pop up," he scoffed. Of course the baby wasn't related to him.

His eyes widened as what he just read registered in his brain.

"Holy quiznak, I'm pregnant!" he exclaimed. Sure, that had been the plan that he, the royal couple, and several doctors worked on for over a deca-phoeb to achieve. It was all based on the theory that a drunken Honerva scribbled on a dirty napkin. Some of the doctors said it wouldn't work, but it had. Alfor was going to be thrilled.

Wait.

He and Alfor were supposed to find out together. Judging by the king's hissy fit the day before he got pregnant, he might feel envious or left out that Coran found out before him. But what was he supposed to do when he woke up bleeding from a vagina he should not have had at that moment?

He scrolled down to the part about his reproductive parts, clicking no on the marriage therapist ad and making a mental note to scan his system in the morning. His body tried to initiate a heat, not having realized that he was already pregnant. Unlike species like the Galra, Alteans did not menstruate. He knew that Galra carriers sometimes bled even if they were pregnant. It was called breakthrough bleeding, or something. Whatever he experienced was similar. The pod fixed whatever occured. The fetus had not been affected.

A soft gasp escaped his lips as he saw it in an image from the scan. It was small, maybe the size of his pinky tip. He was disappointed that it was an image and not a video. However, when he touched the image, an audio link labeled "fetal heartbeat" appeared. He hovered his fingers over the link. His fingers ached to press it, but Coran decided not to. Alfor should hear it with him.

Reluctantly, he closed the file, but not before sending a copy of the scan image to his own personal computer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, but a chapter nonetheless. Also, I received the Voltron Coalition guidebook and the section on Coran is so heartbreakingly shippy, I could die.


	11. Chapter 11

Satisfied that he was pregnant, Coran was free to worry about other things. The top of his list? Telling Alfor that he was pregnant. He thought about this on the way to his room. He was so preoccupied that he did not see the queen beside him until he bumped into her.

"Ah! My apologies, my queen!" He reached to catch her by the arm. Startled, she turned and looked at him, or at least in his general area.

"It's alright," he soothed as she tried to get away. She used to suffer from night terrors and occasionally still walked in her sleep. Unfortunately, this appeared to be one of the former situations.

"It's alright, Mel. Darling, it's alright," he tried to keep his voice calm despite her flailing arms.

This time, when she looked at him, their eyes met. She looked confused.

"Why did you call me Mel, Coran? Only Alfor calls me Mel."

He sighed. He prefered a light scolding to her having a night terror.

"I do apologize, Queen Melenor. I have seen King Alfor calm you in this way whilst you were sleepwalking and it did the trick like that." He snapped his fingers for emphasis.

"Oh." She frowned.

"I was sleepwalking?"

"I believe you had a night terror?" Coran knew she could be sensitive about her health issues. She may be royal, but she was very private.

"Do you need help back to your room?"

She nodded, getting fully to her feet, but still leaning heavily on him.

"It's my damn medication. It keeps the cancer in remission, but also seems to make me more anxious," Melenor said after a few dobashes, "it doesn't help that everything is so stressful."

They arrived at her and Alfor's room.

"Stressful, huh?" He guided her to her bed.

"With all of Alfor's work with the lions and all this heir business." She shook her head and smiled weakly at him.

"How are you doing? What were you doing out of bed?"

"You should get some rest." Gently, he laid her down and tucked her in. As he turned to leave, she grabbed his arm.

"You should get some rest as well. You may be incubating my child, after all."

"I may be. That's why I'd better get back to my bed."

She did not let go of his sleeve.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?"

Alfor said once that it helped Melenor to have someone sleep beside her. The maids sometimes stepped in when the king was away, but the king was not crazy about that solution. She needed someone strong enough to handle her during a terror and some of her maids were not. They didn't like being kicked, which she was prone to do when resting properly. Back when her night terrors were more frequent, Coran suggested that she hire a gay manservant to sleep beside her. Alfor said something sassy back. Luckily, her terrors stopped at that point and the issue was not pursued.

Until now, of course.

"I can." They shared a bed a few quintants after the "procedure" (threesome. It had certainly been a threesome). Alfor had been there was well, but it wasn't like he and Melenor would do anything now. The royal couple's bed was much more comfortable than his own, although he rarely slept when he was on their bed. ;)

"Could you scoot over, your majesty?"

"Why? I always sleep on this side of the bed."

"So do I," he replied without thinking.

"Maybe on your bed. This is my bed. I sleep on the right side on my bed. I think you slept between us last time, didn't you?" Her voice was light and airy, possibly a little loopy. She must be exhausted.

"Right-o. I'll sleep on the left."

\-----

Despite falling asleep with a couple feet between them, Melenor ended up spooning Coran. She was even on his left side!

"Right side of the bed my ass," he muttered and tried to disentangle himself from her limbs.

He heard a familiar chuckle. Alfor was sitting on the bed beside him.

"You'll never get away from her now. She's clingier than those nine-limbed molluscs on Nalquod."

Coran made a face.

"Those disgusting things? Ancients, they tasted awful! I think its limb was still moving when it was on my plate," he groaned.

"You didn't imagine that. It was. Speaking of moving, any particular reason you are in my bed? You're not in trouble," he added, noticing Coran's nervous expression.

"She had a night terror."

The mischeivious twinkle in Alfor's eyes dimmed and he nodded.

"Was it bad?"

"She was confused and a bit uh hostile. I walked her back here and tried to leave, but she-"

"I'm glad you stayed," he interrupted, "regardless of whose idea it was."

Coran relaxed.

"You don't need to be so anxious. After all, you did suggest that I hire a gay man to keep her company," he teased.

"And you promptly said no, for some reason."

"If I can't trust myself around a gay man who advises me, how can I trust her with you? You do have similar tastes in men."

He rolled his eyes.

"You're in good spirits tonight. Or today. Quiznak, what time is it?"

"A couple vargas before sunrise. We should get some rest. Do you mind if I join you two?"

"Certainly."

Alfor slipped off his shoes and climbed in the bed.

"Coran, may I inquire that you don't swear? At least, not until we know if you are pregnant?"

"So, if I am pregnant, I can't swear until it's born, correct?" he quipped.

"A fetus can hear before they are born. I don't want any potential children of mine coming out cursing," Alfor responded somewhat sheepishly. He received a lot of guff for not liking to curse.

"I understand. I will refrain from cursing until I have your offspring."

"That's only if you're actually pregnant. We can't get our hopes up too high." He stroked Coran's cheek.

"I don't want to pressure you. I'd hate to be someone who gets mad at someone if they're not pregnant. That's hardly something that can be helped."

"I know you'd never get mad at me for that, just as no one was upset that you...had trouble."

"We're agreed that we will never get upset at the other for being or not being with child, then?" Alfor's tone was light, but they both knew that it was a serious topic for him after the miscarriages.

Coran kissed his nose.

"We'll find out soon enough. Until then, I will attempt to not swear."

\-----

He wiped his eyes and laughed softly to himself. Allura swore much more than Alfor ever had. Alfor never said it outright, but he always gave Coran a look when she swore. Like he blamed her swearing on his advisor for cursing while pregnant with her. Something that was either disapproving of his dirty mouth or greatful that he had a daughter that swore like a sailor at times. Because, without Coran, Allura technically would not exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we finally find out the queen's name. I was just going to have Alfor call her "darling" so much that I could have called her Wendy.  
> Bad puns aside, I still haven't technically read the Voltron guidebooks that @pandafarts gave me, but I highly recommend them.  
> Also, I haven't finished season 8 and I may never finish it. I'm afraid it will destroy me and my ships. I know the basics of the ending and cannot handle it. I will continue to update this fic, and pretend that season 8 ended differently.


	12. Chapter 12

“Shiro, you look terrible. You okay, man?” Hunk asked at their leader came in, rubbing his eye with the heel of his hand

“I…have a headache,” he said lamely.

“Really? Didn’t you find any medicine?” Lance asked.

Shiro glared at him.

“No, I had to get other stuff and completely forgot,” he explained slowly. Not only did he have a killer headache, he was very cranky. Maybe it was because of the headache. Maybe he was mad at Lance and Allura for having unprotected sex.

“Good morning, everyone. Look who I found.”

Well, speak of the devil. Or devils.

“Hey, Keith! What are you doing here? I actually had a dream about you last night.” Hunk patted Keith on the shoulder.

“I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I’d brief you on some Blade stuff.” He looked at Shiro as he spoke.

“You could have called,” the black paladin muttered, trying not to sound too irritated. Ever since he escaped in that Galra fighter and rejoined Voltron, he had these spells when he would get really touch-starved. All he wanted was to have sex. Keith was more than willing to help, even though he was asexual. He seemed to sense these periods of loneliness before Shiro himself did.

In fact, it happened at the same time last month as well. Before that they happened every couple months. He hadn’t even told Keith about this time, since he was just figuring it out right now.

“But I thought it has been a while since I briefed you.”

“Huh, you said the same thing in my dream. Although, I think it meant something else.”

“Enough about your shipping dreams, Hunk!”

Coran frowned.

“Now, Number Five, that isn’t polite. If Hunk has dreams about Keith and Shiro working on the docks, I don’t see what the harm is. Especially since you won’t talk about your dream about Hunk.”

“Pidge, did you have a dream about Hunk?” Lance asked as he wriggled his eyebrows.

“Ooh, what was it about?” Allura asked.

“It wasn’t a bad dream. It was like that show with the rock women. Hunk was the dad and Shay was the mom, but she had to die because their kid couldn’t exist with her?”

“Like Gems.” Allura nodded sympathetically.

“Yeah. So it wasn’t a sex dream like Hunk had.” Hunk looked shocked. Coran clapped him on the back.

“Don’t worry, Number Two. Gems don’t have to die to procreate. True, they can only procreate with other Gems, but Shay isn’t a Gem. She’s Balmeran.”

“Well, we don’t know what would happen if a Gem mated with a human male, since there are only female Gems,” the princess pointed out.

“Uh, yes, we do. Steven would happen.”

“Who?” Allura and Coran asked in unison. Pidge turned to Lance.

“You told them about Steven Universe and yet didn’t tell them about Steven? Really.” The anime fan in her was very disappointed.

“He told us no such things. We were talking about Gems. They are a mythical species that are similar to Balmerans, but they have no males among them.” Lance nudged Hunk with his elbow.

“Lucky you. Wait, are you crying?”

Hunk reluctantly explained, “You guys know that I like Shay. Maybe not love yet. Who knows if we’d even be compatible biologically? Kids would be nice. Always wanted kids. Someday.” He wiped at his eyes. It wasn’t his biggest fear, but he did worry that if he and Shay did get married and had kids that she would be like a gem and disappear.

“Why were Shiro and I in a sex dream of yours? And why were their ships?”

“Way to sense the mood, Samurai.”

Hunk laughed, welcoming the distraction.

“Nah, it’s okay, Lance. There wasn’t actual sex. Keith, you were talking dirty to Shiro and Shiro was all, ‘oh, not me, Keith,’ but like in a seductive way so I’m not sure if you really meant no.”

Shiro turned bright red. Pidge smacked Hunk’s arm.

“What? It seemed so out of character that I figured it was okay to share. And you hit really hard,” he whined.

Shiro wanted to die. He wanted his headache to get so large that it swallowed him up into the astral plane, if it hadn’t already. Keith sat down between him and Allura.

“I didn’t say anything,” his sort of boyfriend whispered in Japanese. It wasn’t perfect. His father taught him before he died. Mr. Kogane hadn’t been a native speaker and had spoke with a southern drawl, so Keith’s Japanese had a definite Texas twist to it.

“Why are you here so early?” Shiro replied.

 Keith looked at him pointedly.

“Should I go back? I can, but I need to tell you something I found out.”

“Can it wait? Last night sucked and I don’t think I can have a serious conversation right now.”

His look of sass morphed into one of worry.

“Headache again? You gotta get checked.”

"The medicine works. I just had to get some stuff for Lance and Allura.”

Keith rose to his feet and glared at the two in question.

“What did y’all do last night?” he demanded. He spoke in English, although the drawl was still there, which didn’t help Shiro’s touch-starvation.

“What do you mean?” Allura said, spooning food goo primly into her mouth. Lance, on the other hand, shot out of his chair.

“And you two don’t need be having unprotected sex!”

Allura nearly choked on her food goo and gave Lance a dirty look.

“You told him?”

Everyone fell silent.

“But you told him. Do you not remember?”

She stared at him for a moment, trying to decide if he meant what he said.

“I did?” Allura whispered.

The red paladin nodded dumbly.

“You okay?”

“I don…I need a moment,” she whimpered and ran from the table so quickly that she knocked over her chair. Lance got up to chase her, but Coran stopped him.

“Hold it, number three. I’ll take it from here.” His offer sounded a bit like an order, so he relented and let the advisor jog after Allura.

“You and Allura, huh?” Hunk asked hesitantly.

“We can talk about it later, Hunk.” Lance lowered himself gingerly back onto his chair, wincing as his bottom made contact.

Shiro and Keith shared a look of bewilderment.

“Is sex with a woman supposed to make your ass sore?” Keith asked Shiro in Japanese.

The black paladin looked at him.

“Well, does it?” he repeated his question, in English this time.

“Does what? Ugh, why didn’t I take Japanese?” Pidge bemoaned.

Shiro blinked.

“That is an excellent question. I would be happy to do some research and get back to you,” he responded wryly.

“You’re cheeky.”

He smirked.

“You would know, wouldn’t you?”

\-----

"You alright, Princess?"

"How should I feel? I just made a complete ass of myself and I'm not even sure what I did last night." She flopped down at the base of the control panel.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, leaning on his control panel, inspecting his fingernails as nonchalantly as possible. He didn't want Allura to feel pressured.

"I'm not sure. What do you know?"

"A plethora of knowledge. Did you have something in mind you want to talk about?"

She shrugged.

"Allura, remember when you were a little girl? Well, when you were going through adolescence."

"Coran, do we need to talk about this?"

"You locked your nanny out of the room. You didn't want to talk to anyone, but you needed to know what was happening to you." He shook his head and smiled at her.

"You were so young that Alfor hadn't gotten the chance to tell you about reproduction. You still had some of your baby teeth at that time." Seeing Allura crying because she shifted for the first time had been hard for him. Since Alfor was on a mission and Melenor had passed decaphoebs ago, the responsibility of giving her "the talk" fell to Coran.

\-----

"My parents did that?" she sniffed.

"It's a natural part of life. I know it can sound overwhelming."

 "Is that why my nanny's husband's stomach getting fat? Is he having a baby?"

"He might be, although you'll find that carriers of most species don't like to be called fat when they are expecting."

She tilted her head.

"What do you say then?"

"I've found it's best to follow their lead. If they complain about aches and pains or weight gain, sympathize without directly saying that they have gained weight."

"Was Father like that?"

"He is a kind man and has fantastic manners."

She shock her head.

"No, before I was born," Allura interrupted, "when I was in his...pouch? Was he self-conscious?"

Quiznak. She was asking him a direct question that he had to lie about. Alfor made him promise to never tell her. Coran was a terrible liar. He didn't want to lie about this, either. He didn't want to break his promise. Sex could be a difficult subject to talk about. He didn't want to make Allura feel uncomfortable with her body, as he felt when he got the talk from Pop-Pop. 

Gay teenager boys did not think they would ever be pregnant. The talk seemed a bit ridiculous and depressing since it confirmed that he could never really be with the crown prince. Of course, Coran turned out to be totally wrong on both these assumptions. That didn't change the decaphoebs of doubt he felt. He would not pass these issues on to Allura.

"He was happy that he gained weight before you were born. He was glad that you were growing properly." That wasn't a lie. Alfor did have a bit of a sympathetic pregnancy and had gotten a bit of a gut near the end.

"Really?"

"He told me that constantly." Again, that was not a lie. Alfor did tell him that. It was to reassure Coran that he wasn't fat even when his clothes no longer fit and he felt huge.

"How would having a baby inside of you make you feel?" She looked slightly squicked at the idea. As an Altean female, she was not designed to ever carry a child anywhere other than her arms. A Galra alpha might have the same expression if they thought about carrying a baby inside of them. She was a smart and compassionate young lady with a curiosity that made him wonder if she'd ever want to be an alchemist.

Coran should have realized that this was where Allura was coming from. At the time, her curiosity felt like an accusation. The "you" was general, but it felt like it was directed at him personally.

"Ah, well, how would I know? I don't have any children," he replied, laughing nervously.

\-----

"I am in a relationship with Lance," Allura said in the present. Her voice was muffled against her folded arms, but he heard.

"Well, I suppose he is attractive." Coran slid down and sat beside her.

"His eyes are a nice blue."

"You're not surprised?"

"I'm not sure how common blue eyes are among humans. Or did you mean about you courting him?"

"The latter. How long have you know?"

"I suspected it for a while now. The kicker was when we were cleaning the pods a quintant ago and he had that mark on his neck. In his defense, he denied it until I explained heats to him and how you may be in danger. Speaking of which, Shiro told me what happened last night." He caught Shiro riffling through the medicine cupboard. He assumed it was for headache medication, but then he snapped about about Lance should wear a condom so that Allura wouldn't get pregnant. When Shiro left with the lubricant, and since Coran knew that the princess was experiencing the depositing phase of her heat, he knew what was going on.

Allura was horrified, turning such a dark shade of red she may be imitating a Ruby or some other red species.

"Now, we've all been there." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"But I don't recall talking to Shiro at all yesterday."

"It's a heat haze," Coran put simply, "we don't all get them, but they do happen."

"Is that why you and Father denied that I saw you two engaged in coitus?"

"Oh, we remembered. We were embarrassed. I swear we locked that door."

Allura tilted her head.

"Why were you embarrassed? I knew you and Father loved each other. I know Mother had been gone less than a decaphoeb before I saw you with Father." She took Coran's hand in her own and squeezed it.

"There are these animals on Earth called parakeets. They are an avian species. Lance told me that his mother kept them as pets. She always had to have at least two. When one died, she had to replace it right away because the other would get depressed. Not that you were a replacement!" she added quickly. To his surprise, she smiled.

"His mother sometimes had three parakeets that all lived together," she said in a stage whisper and gave a very obvious wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, Allura knew about her poly-amorous parents! Parakeets are like that, btw. I think we'll always have parakeets because they always need a new mate when one dies. It's a never ending cycle. Also, we also had two males that always tried to make babies, but never succeeded. Guess they didn't have a surrogate XD
> 
> Hopefully, this chapter makes sense. It was going to be standalone fic where the paladins' link is present even when not forming Voltron. It's an idea I used in my SNK fic Memory Thieves. That's why Pidge was dreaming about Hunk's Gem-based fears and Hunk dreamed of Sheith. But are Hunk's dreams really dreams, or memories? Maybe predictions? Maybe he's just a Sheith shipper? Tune in next time to find out!
> 
> I hope everyone's New Year has been enjoyable so far.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pregnancy reveal.

Alfor frowned. His outfit that Coran laid out was missing socks. Specifically, the socks that matched his lion.

"Coran, have you seen my good red socks?"

"Your red socks are in the wash, although I'm not sure that they would match. Check in your drawers."

"Red would match," he grumbled. He may be color blind, but he knew that those socks in particular match the suit he wanted to wear.

He opened his first sock drawer. It was completely empty.

"I couldn't have worn _that_ many socks recently."

"Maybe the next drawer."

Alfor checked his second sock drawer only to find it completely void of any socks as well.

Coran peered over his tablet.

"Empty?" he questioned in a way that made it sound like he wasn't really surprised, "perhaps her Majesty became tired of your ridiculous sock collection."

"I lowered taxes. I've made contributions to science. Let me have one ridiculous luxury."

He pouted and turned his attention back to the tablet.

"I thought I was your ridiculous luxury."

Alfor grinned.

"You are a bit ridiculous, but not a luxury. A necessity."

"Not a collectible?"

"As far as I know, you're the only Coran I know. I might be persuaded to collect more of you, especially if the newer models don't steal my socks."

Coran covered his mouth. Judging by Alfor's playful eye roll, the king must have assumed that his advisor was being coy, In reality, he was trying not to throw up. He hid his surprise in the third sock drawer (Alfor really had too many pairs of socks). He wanted to see his face when he revealed the pregnancy.

Alfor frowned. Altean clothes typically were designed to allow their wearers to change size. As a shapeshifting race, having clothes that adjusted came in handy. However, it was not one size fits all. A pair of socks designed for, say, a baby, would not fit Alfor.

"Why did you put a pair of infant socks in my drawer?"

"For your baby. Naturally."

"My baby," he repeated slowly. He was sure that Coran was spoon feeding him the answers. However, he was tired and running late for dinner with Blaytz and his fiance. He also hit his head while flying that afternoon and had a minor concussion that didn't warrant a stint in a healing pod, but hurt nonetheless.

"Your baby, yes."

 Alfor's jaw fell as realization hit him.

"You're pregnant? I...I mean for certain? The test can be inconclusive at this point."

"Well, I got in a pod on night. I shifted and was spotting. Everything is fine," he added hurriedly as Alfor began to worry.

"It's okay?" His tone was so heartrendingly hopeful that Coran wanted to cry.

"You don't need to cry. Then I'll cry. Ancients, you're pregnant?" he whispered.

Coran nodded.

"Oof! Careful," he cautioned as Alfor embraced him.

"Oh, Coran! Coran, you gorgeous man!"

"Thank you, but can you ease on the hugging?"

"No, thank you," he interrupted. Much to his chagrin, Alfor tightened his hold, causing him to throw up on the king's shoulder.

"I am so sorry!"

"No need to be sorry. I'll need to get used to having spit-up on my shoulder," he said smiling brightly.

Coran groaned.

Alfor sensed his advisor's discomfort. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently dabbed Coran's mouth and chin clean.

"Have you gotten sick often?"

"A handful of times."

"And how many fingers does that hand have?"

"Maybe seven or eight?"

"In what kind of time frame?"

"Five quintants," he admitted. He threw up after breakfast every quintant since he found out he was expecting with the exception of the first morning when he awoke to Alfor smiling down on him.

"You are a bit peaky," he agreed as felt Coran's neck. It took all his self control not to lean into Alfor's touch.

"I'm having trouble keeping food down. I didn't know morning sickness hit so soon or in the evenings. Now, I've gone and vomited all over you."

"It's more spit up than throw up. And it's a good sign. They say that a pregnancy will more likely result in a healthy child if their parent experiences morning sickness."

"Maybe. It's still not fun," he muttered bitterly.

Alfor hummed in sympathy and went to undress him.

"You'll be more comfortable in your pajamas," he explained.

"But your dinner! Blaytz-"

"Isn't caring my child. Right now, I want to make sure that the man who is is comfortable." He unbuttoned his jacket. Coran let him manipulated his arms out of the sleeves. It felt nice to be doted on.

"I feel like I hardly see you." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"I have been neglecting my duties as partner," he agreed.

"Any reason why? I know you had that diplomatic trip."

"But that is no excuse." He pulled Coran's pajama top over his head. As he straightened the hem near the bottom of the shirt, his hands practically hovered over his advisor's stomach.

 "You can touch. There isn't much there yet."

"But that's not true! There is something very precious inside of you."

"I know. I meant that there's not any outward sign that I'm pregnant. I've actually lost weight."

"You'll gain it back. Have you been in a pod recently? Other than when you found out?"

"This afternoon. There's a data chip in one of the socks with a recording of the heartbeat."

Alfor's face light up.

"Can I hear it?" He scampered over to where he dropped the socks while hugging Coran. There was a data chip in the right sock. Alfor thought it was a security sensor at first.

"It'll play in my tablet."

Alfor chuckled. He wondered why Coran had been using an outdated tablet. The pods were due for upgrades and could only record data on older chips that weren't compatible with his advisor's usual tablet.

"I wondered why a technology snob such as yourself would be using last decaphoeb's technology. You wanted me to be able to hear my child's heartbeat right away, didn't you?" he teased in a singsong voice.

"Updating the pods is on my list of things to do, but I've been a tad busy."

"Growing a child takes a lot of energy," he agreed as he tried to plug the chip into the port.

Coran held out his hand.

"You know, for how advanced those ships are, you should be able to use this ancient piece of technology," he grumbled as Alfor handed the tablet and the chip to him.

Alfor cuddled up to him and put his head on his shoulder.

"You love me nonetheless."

With a few deft swipes of his fingers, Coran brought up an image of his latest scan.

"There it is."

"Where?"

"Here. Let me change the contrast. You need to get your eyes checked."

"My eyes are fine. They simply have trouble discerning colors at times."

" 'At times?' "

"When I'm awake." His head popped off Coran's shoulder as he found a color scheme that wouldn't clash for someone who was colorblind.

"Ooh, is that it? Or them?" Alfor pointed to a small blob inside the pouch.

"That's your child. They're an inch long." He paused to smile at his partner as he approximated an inch with his fingers.

"An inch, huh?"

"And they are already wreaking havoc on my body! Well, my stomach, at least." He didn't get sick when he was taking hormones and supplements to get ready for this pregnancy. Honerva said that synthetic hormones were slightly different and that some people reacted differently. Coran assumed that, if he could handle synthetic hormones, real ones would be easy.

"Those were prenatal hormones to get your body ready for a pregnancy. You've dealt with those before during heats."

Crap. He was right. He had been in heat before. He had not been pregnant.

Until now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the Voltron Coalition guidebook, Coran says that the thing he misses most about Altea is helping Alfor pick out socks for special occasions. If that isn't ridiculously domestic, then I don't know what life is.


	14. Chapter 14

With all their work running the Voltron coalition, Coran did not bring out his box since he put it back in his room. Lance was sometimes tempted to ask him for more details, but he suspected that it might be too painful to talk about. They did stock both Allura and Lance's room with supplies for heats. Allura was also put on the Altean equivalent of birth control. Coran warned that they might make her moody at first, but her personality remained the same. He suggested that they use condoms, too. Even outside of her heats.

That was why Lance was headed to the supply closet next to the medical bay. They had some free time and thought they might send some time together in the bedroom.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed as he fell down, having run into Pidge as she came from the opposite side.

"Sorry, Lance! You okay?"

"I'm fine." He noticed that she was hiding something behind her back.

"Whatcha you got there?"

"Tampons. What do you have?" she countered.

He considered not telling her, but she knew they were together. Voltron paladins weren't supposed to have any secrets between them.

He still blushed as he said that he had condoms.

"Ah. No Allurance babies this cycle then?" she teased.

"Probably. I don't think she's supposed to have had a heat since we ran into Keith at the Coalition gathering." That had been two phoebs ago.

"That's odd. I was on my period then. Before that, it was two months, right?"

Lance thought back.

"Yeah, the night before Keith showed up and Hunk talked about that weird dream of his." They started towards the elevator.

"For someone who isn't his biggest fan, you sure mention Keith a lot when trying to remember your girlfriend's cycle," she pointed out, playfully nudging him with her elbow.

"People always remember days when there was a traumatic event. And it's not like he lives here anymore. Seeing him is like seeing a jackalope." They hardly spoke to him the last time they saw him. He disappeared somewhere with Shiro, who showed up a couple vargas later looking disheveled.

"Do you think Keith is an omega?"

"Well, he is half Galra, and they do have secondary genders. How do you know what an omega is? Aren't you the dumb one?"

"I'm not dumb! How do you know?"

"I read. Why do you think that?"

"He has shown up twice in the past four months when Allura was in heat and you were on your period. He doesn't stay long, but only seems to hang out with Shiro. Human women that live together sometimes get their periods at the same time."

Pidge considered it.

"It is a possibility." She pressed the up button on the elevator.

"I doubt Keith would tell us, though." Her eyes widened as the door opened and Shiro stood there.

"What would Keith tell you?"

"Why he has a mullet?" Lance suggested.

His eyes narrowed.

"Uh, do you mind either getting out of our way or letting us in?"

Shiro glared at the condoms.

"You need to be careful."

"Duh, that's where the condoms come in," Lance said in an obvious kind of way.

"But Allura isn't even here. She is helping Lotor with his ships."

"No, she's not."

Shiro nodded.

"She just left fifteen minutes ago. Didn't she tell you?"

Lance jabbed his finger at Shiro.

"Don't be all warning me about sex with my girlfriend and then sound worried that she didn't tell me that she is going to spend the day with the last fertile Altean male ever! On the day of her heat, too!" With surprising strength, he pushed the black paladin out of the elevator, Pidge slipping right before the door closed.

"Technically, Lotor is only half Altean."

"Oh, but he told me that he can have babies. Freaking jerk. I'll kill him," he muttered, crossing his arms tight over his chest.

"You're not giving Allura enough credit. Heats don't turn her into a mindless animal. She wouldn't chose Lotor just because she may be able to knock him up. She doesn't act crazy around Coran. I mean, yeah, he's older and who knows when Alteans go through." She paused. Would it still be menopause if it a male was too old to have kids? They might have something similar to menopause. If so, when were they too old to procreate?

 "Well, but he gave birth to her. People don't have romantic feelings for their birth parents," he replied flippantly as he pushed the up button repeatedly.

"Well, there is Oedipus. Wait." She frowned.

"What about Coran giving birth?"

His eyes widened. Slowly, he looked down to Pidge.

"What?"

"What do you mean, Coran gave birth to Allura?"

Lance shushed her, eyes darting around frantically.

"Are you looking for someone?" she asked.

Lance shushed her.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Ugh, forget it! I didn't say anything!" He pressed the button to open the elevator, or he would have had the Green Paladin not gotten in front of the panel.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you. I promised I wouldn't say a word."

"Who did you promise? Did Coran threaten you?"

"What, no! He-" His voice trailed off, a defeated expression on his face. Pidge put her hands on his shoulders.

"Look, I didn't mean to upset you. I don't know what is going and I don't need to know what's going on. I mean I'm sure whatever is going on would be interesting from a scientific point of view." She shook her head, trying to stave off all the questions forming there.

"Whatever is going on, does it have the potential to hurt people or drastically change their lives?"

He shook his head.

"I don't think so," he muttered, "it has to do with a promise Coran made to Alfor. It's really all in the past. That's all I can say."

"Okay. That's fine." She stepped to the side, expecting the Red Paladin to dart past. However, he stayed put.

"Uh, you dropped your tampons," he said after a beat. He bent down and picked them up.

"Thank you." She took them from him.

"Where did you get those?"

"Space mall. Alteans may not get periods, but the Galra do. Guess we're lucky we don't live in that universe with the Altean Empire."

"Having an evil race with similar biology _does_ make it easier to find supplies."

"Right?" He huffed out a laugh.

"Remember when you asked Allura for pads? She bought those tablets from Terra. What were they called, iPods?"

"I _Pads_. Honestly, with that shop owner's nature to rename Earth paraphernalia, I'm surprised that he got the pad part right," Pidge conceded, pushing up her glasses. 

**Author's Note:**

> The Alforan Mpreg with a side of Allurance story nobody asked for...
> 
> Or Allura's Origins
> 
> Or the story I didn't want to write but am writing anyways.


End file.
